COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Season of navigation: Canal first opened to navigation May 5, 1915; closed August 1 to 18 and from October 10 to 17, inclusive, on account of repairs. Average hau! on portion of river under improvement, 83 miles; average haul of freight passing through the canal, about 180 miles. 12. CANAL AT THE CASCADES, COLUMBIA RIVER, OREG. No work was in progress during the fiscal year 1916. The amount expended, $724.36, was for necessary care of plant and property. The next item of the approved project which should be undertaken is the removal of submerged reefs and bowlders in the rapids immediately below the locks, for which $12,426.32 is now available. APPROPRIATIONS. Previous projects (see H. Doc. No. 1491, 63d Cong., 3d sess., p. 431)__ Present projects: June 3, 1896–. June 11, 1896. Mar. 3, 1899. June 13, 1902. Mar. 3, 1905_. Mar. 3, 1905 (allotted Jan. 15, 1906) June 25, 1910_. Mar. 4, 1913. $50,000.00 100, 000, 00 $3, 443, 403. 00 Total of appropriations_ Receipts from sales.. Grand total 470, 597, 00 3,914, 000. 00 11, 684. 01 3,925, 684. 01 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. See report covering operation and care of canal and locks at the Cascades of the Columbia River, Oreg. 13. OPERATING AND CARE OF CANAL AND LOCKS AT THE CASCADES OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER, OREG. The canal has been available for passage of boats throughout the year with the exception of one day, June 30, 1916, when the June freshet caused suspension of navigation through the canal. The river in 1915 did not rise high enough to cause the closing of the canal to navigation. The winter of 1915-16 was an unusually severe one, with temperatures as low as 14° below zero. The Columbia River was blocked with ice from January 7 to February 16, 1916, and all river traffic was suspended for that period. The total snowfall for the winter was 115 inches. The snowfall in January, 1916, was 70 inches. The June freshet of 1916 reached its crest on June 30, with a stage of 32.2 feet above adopted low-water plane, which caused suspension of navigation on that date. This is the highest freshet since 1913, in which year the river reached a stage of 33.8 feet. The dredging of the canal entrance was not necessary during the year, as the freshet of 1915 did not cause a deposit of silt therein. In addition to the usual care and maintenance of the canal, the lock gates were sand-blasted and painted, miscellaneous repairs were made to the plant and equipment, and water-power pipe line and storage reservoir were repaired. A new hull for the dredge Cascades was constructed by hired labor and purchase of material at the Government moorings at Portland, Oreg. The old dredging machinery was transferred to the new hull and a new boiler was installed thereon. The total cost of hull, boiler, and repairs was $3,793.80, of which $600 was paid for the boiler. A new boiler was installed in the shop at Cascade Locks, at a cost of $670, to replace the old boiler, which could not carry sufficient steam pressure for the work of sand-blasting gates, etc. A new oil house was constructed for storage of paints, oils, etc. A telephone system was installed in the principal buildings on the works. A summary of expenditures made in operating and caring for Cascades Canal, Oreg., during the fiscal year 1916, submitted in compliance with the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, as amended and reenacted by section 6 of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1909, follows: Office expenses, superintendence, and contingencies_ Materials for repairs, etc.--. Tools, oils, fuel, etc. Total $8, 183. 58 3, 407, 41 230. 52 413. 14 12, 234. 65 EXPENDITURES. Total expenditures to Mar. 4, 1915 (see H. Doc. No. 1491, 63d Cong., 3d sess., p. 431)_. 1915 (Mar. 4 to June 30). 1916. Total $189, 751. 05 2,983. 13 12, 234.65 204, 968. 83 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Season of navigation, year 1915: Opened January 1; closed January 2 to 6, inclusive, and from January 26 to February 2, inclusive, on account of river being blocked with ice. Otherwise navigation continuous. 14. COLUMBIA RIVER BETWEEN VANCOUVER, WASH., AND THE MOUTH OF WILLAMETTE RIVER. No operations were carried on during the year with Government funds, as the available balance of appropriations in the United States Treasury was reported on April 21, 1915, as available for use elsewhere, and was withdrawn. The port of Vancouver having provided the necessary funds for its transfer and operation, the U. S. dredge Oregon was towed from Grays Harbor, Wash., and on July 12, 1915, commenced dredging a channel 150 feet wide, 20 feet deep, and about 3,400 feet long through the shoal below Vancouver, Wash. This cut was finished August 24, 1915. The dredge removed 122,155 cubic yards of material, which was deposited from 800 to 1,000 feet to one side of the cut. The total cost to the port of Vancouver was $7,500, or about 63 cents per cubic yard. There is now a channel of a least depth of 20 feet at low water, with a minimum width of 150 feet across the shoal at Vancouver. Wash, APPROPRIATIONS. UNITED STATES FUNDS. Previous projects (see H. Doc. No. 1491, 63d Cong., 3d sess., $110,000. 44 3, 000. 00 61, 000. 00 171, 000. 44 1,869. 05 13, 000. 00 14, 869. 05 156, 131. 39 Season of navigation, year 1915: Opened January 1; closed December 31. The commerce represents shipments to and from Vancouver, Wash., and upriver points on boats drawing not exceeding 8 feet. Average haul, about 90 miles. Sewer pipe and tiling. 1, 202. 0 14,424 Shingles.. 337.9 6,758 Wool and woolen goods.. 134.7 67,350 Total....... IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE SECOND PORTLAND, OREG., DISTRICT. REPORT OF MAJ. HENRY C. JEWETT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. FOR DESCRIPTION OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, SEE PAGES 1641 TO 1671. 1. WILLAMETTE RIVER ABOVE PORTLAND, AND YAMHILL RIVER, OREG. Operations during the fiscal year consisted in dredging and snagging in the Willamette and Yamhill Rivers and in the construction of about 300 feet of pile dike at Eola. All of this work was done by hired labor with Government plant. The combined dredge and snag boat Mathloma was engaged in dredging and snagging from July 1 to January 24, from April 11 to April 22, and from June 17 to June 30. Dredging by the "Mathloma" during the fiscal year 1916. |